Personally I won't be coming back here again. The food is okay, I think. Mom and I stopped here for lunch last week and decided to stay to eat. We were visiting Dad at the Rehab/Nursing Home out on rt. 2. (BTW the map is wrong right now, the "Mall" that this place is in is off the road across from the Ladd Center's exit on rt. 2.)
I gave this place 2 stars mainly because of the experience I had here over all.
I ordered an italian grinder (for non-RI residents: a submarine sandwich,) because I figured it would be filling and they're not hard to make. Mom had a bowl of chili. I ordered a spinach pie to go. The food we got on our diner ceramic was fresh and basic. The chili was meaty with ground beef and not at all spicy. The grinder had the cold cuts and vegetables laid out on the roll open and easy to see. The roll, which was a firm and really nice, had been toasted in an oven. Simple food, simply served.
Upon entering there are tables and booths within. A counter is in the back where the food is ordered to go. Mom and I sat at a booth closest to the counter so we could look at the menus that are on the table. The menu has breakfast, lunch and dinner items that you'd see in most pizza/diner places in RI. The dining room was clean, basic and decorated with Finger Hut decor. It was homey looking.
A matronly woman came to our table and asked what we'd like to order. After jotting down the meal and two sodas I included a spinach pie to go. This seemed to annoy her as she pushed off the table and told me she needed another slip for this. I guess I was suppose to know this and if I had I wouldn't have bothered to order it if it was the straw that broke the politeness camel's back.
She came back with the sodas and we waited for the food.
Behind the counter we heard a burp and because neither of us can stifle laughs at these kinds of stimulus, we started to giggle. We talked about the day, how nice the dining room seemed, Dad etc. etc. and almost immediately received our meals as well as had the spinach pie tossed in front of us.
Now I am polite to food servers (unless they burp or fart and I can't help to laugh.) I know their jobs can be thankless and they don't get paid well at all. I am *very* polite to them so they know that I appreciate what they do. This woman had either the personality of the "Crazy Nasty@ss Honey Badger" or was offended by something we did ( maybe like not live in Exeter.) This is a local place did I mention that? I've driven by this place tons of times cutting through Slocum so I could avoid rt. 4 and rt. 1 traffic in the summer. I never came in simply because it looks like a place you'd find in Maine where they laugh at you for being a Flat-lander. You know, a "locals" joint. Many locals did indeed come in during the lunch hour. Some sat down, some came to order and pick up. And I decided to come here when Mom asked figuring I'd give the place a break. Who was I to say that it would be one of those places where they serve poor quality food or are jaw drop Neanderthals.
The prices are very good. It's simple fare. My biggest complaint about the food was the spinach pie. When I glanced in the paper bag that held it I was pleased that it was as big as it was. It looked like it had been baked just right. Upon opening it 4 hours later and taking a bite I found it to be gummy. The dough was under cooked even though it covered the spinach with a thin "crust". The spinach was hardly spiced although there was a lot of it; there was no olives or garlic. If I had been home I would have just put it in the toaster oven covered in foil. I wasn't at home though which was why I ordered a spinach pie to go..
Now it could be that I was over sensitive and felt intimidated by the waitress/ordering woman's unpleasant New England attitude. I have experienced that before and returned to find that the staff is less standoffish once I've established that I'm not a tourist. Honestly though, the other woman who served the meal was just as cold and after opening an undercooked baked good from a pizza place/diner and getting snapped at as if I worked at the establishment, I am not planning on another disagreeable experience here. The only time I heard a word of thanks was when we left. I am sure they will be happy that we will not be returning. The Celestial Cafe is down the road. I think we'll try that place next time. read more